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Saturday, March 17, 2012

David Hockney at RA

Last night I went to the David Hockney show at the RA(Royal Academy) of works commissions just 4 years ago. The scale of the pictures was designed especially to go on RA's big walls.

Pretty much the hottest show in town. So hot the exhibit is open till midnight on Fridays. I went at 6pm and waited about a half hour. It was very cold and I was not dressed properly. Nevermind.

Once inside it was warm and crowded in a cocktail party manner...

People were milling around somewhat matter of factly...

I LOVED this wall of big casual watercolors.

Of course one shouldn't be taking photos! Of course not.

LOVED this big value study charcoal drawing - there were lots of these too.

There was lots of everything David Hockney landscape.

Big rooms full of it...

And many HUGE paintings I didn't dare to shoot - one made up of 60 canvases!

The Hockney nine-screen films are wonderful.

Loved this tap dancing number to Tea For Two.

This chair is soooo Hockney.

Then the Yorkshire Wolds landscape films, shot with 9 cameras mounted on the bonnet of a slow-moving jeep. Hockney sat in the back seat directing, using a grid of 9 monitors to 'draw' the scene. Hockney does not view this new strand of his work as a diversion, but rather another method of depicting the landscape.

Outside endless books on Hockney to peruse - a big room full of them.

A Hockney number painting printed on watercolor paper(3.95£) so you can DIY.

26 comments:

I have a great memory of my one short visit to London, of wandering into some upscale department store, and trying on the most phenomenal (and expensive) hats. Huge hats! Hats of my dreams! Alas, never to own. (My vague memory is the prices were upwards of 400 British pounds!)Could you photograph some hats while you're there?Sharon

That does look rather special. Imagining the scarf. Please don't catch a stinking cold. You have serious macaron tasting next week, ok?Didn't realise Selfridges had changed their mags like Barc Jacob. Last time in London crossed the wrong side of the road and missed a bus by the size of a mac. Next time will use a bag to fling around. You know how to spot these things, Carol!

Hockney has always been one of my heroes because he is always taking chances, and is open to exploring new mediums of all kinds.Plus he could not care less about what the critics think of him; he's just too busy DOING IT! I recently read a definition of a "critic."It's "someone who goes onto the battlefield after the battle is over, and kills all the wounded." Thank you, Carol, for this post...and of course, all your previous and future.

Well done for taking photos!! They are brilliant!! Now I can come back to this page to feel the atmosphere of the show. I went there yesterday morning and had to queue for 1.5hrs, I was very cold, too, but it was well worth it.

stay warm! thanks for the hockney report. PARIS 11eme and on up to 20eme: rue de la roquette is a wonderful street. there's a bus that does its length, one of the 80s i think. fun bistros and interesting shopping, not the big names, but creative stuff. rue oberkamph up to menilmontant is another lively street. on the bvd Menilmontant, try to catch a lunch formule at LES QUILLES. i've met some very interesting people there and Vincent will welcome you with a smile. On the rue Panoyaux is fab bistro LOU PESCALOU.up the hill is a fascinating neighborhood to wander. Don't miss the rue des Cascades. and the magnificent parc de bellville. easier to start at the top and wander down! this is all back street paris that tourists never see. lots of graffiti by jerome and nemo. many artists inhabit the quartier. and then there's pere lachaise-highlights are the tomb of oscar wilde and victor noire.

So many people just associate him with his swimming pool paintings, but he does so, so much more! I do like the Trees of the Shire on the fridge magnet, but favorite in this post is the pattern landscape.Ed's done some interesting collage & digital art too!

ParisBreakfast Letters

♥carol gillott♥

l'Ile Saint Louis, Paris, Ile de France, France

Hi I'm Carol Gillott,
My Mom taught me watercolors at 5. I'm still at it but now tripping over cobblestones on l'Ile Saint-Louis In Paris. Savor Parisbreakfast with a hot chocolate and croissant.
I paint Paris dreams.